


Vale and Vigilance

by Yoshibee



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Comedy, Multi, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 17:07:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6123648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yoshibee/pseuds/Yoshibee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a pair of drop-outs take the law into their own hands, they catch the attention of many and are thrown somewhere neither of them planned on being, as well as being a part of something they never thought possible. (NOTE: This is an edited adaptation of the canon RWBY story, with several changes and additions. All non-OC characters are property of RoosterTeeth Productions.)</p><p>Note: Will contain romance, between who? Well, read and find out!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Chance Meeting

The city of Vale was drowned in a cold breeze as the clouds rolled overhead. The streets glistened with the dim blue mixture of rainwater and streetlights, their luminescence together casting an eerie glow on the roads. The normally crowded footpaths gave way to the distinct individuals making their way towards the nearest dust store, the news telling the tales of their recent robberies to the public caused them to go unnoticed to many, as those who would normally enjoy the night life now avoid the chance to run into the recent arrivals to the streets. And Due to the police departments’ lack of numbers, the criminals were free to roam almost unopposed in the night, led by their particularly fashionable leader.

“Alright you idiots, get in there and do what we’re paying you for.”

Roman Torchwick. Criminal mastermind, sly, ruthless and all round bad guy. Not exactly the kind of man you’d want to meet in a dark alley, recently infamous for his work leading the attacks on the dust stores in the past weeks, and as quick minded as he is quick witted. His white coat and blazing orange hair doing nothing to help his already conspicuous figure, although the thief always preferred fashion over subtlety. Torchwick gave a push to one of the goons lagging behind the main group entering the store before eyeing the path he took, swearing to himself that he heard something hit the ground nearby. Shrugging the paranoia off, he regained his posh composure and followed the rest of the criminals inside. Unbeknownst to the classy thief, a mere building corner away a hidden pair of grey eyes watched his every move.

As the figure casually strolled towards the store, his silver pauldrons shining in the moonlight, he quietly spoke seemingly to himself, “You know, he really needs to stop hiring those morons…” Suddenly, the hooded man cringed as a blast of static exploded in his ear.

“For the love of….Scylla, I can hear you fine! You don’t have to yell.”

“Sorry, you know I’m still getting used to this!” A girls voice replied in a much softer tone than the previously ear blasting noise.

The figure continued before making his way towards the criminals, the light patter of footsteps echoing in the dark and the puddles rippling with each movement. The man stopped just outside the main door, looking upon two of the suited lackeys guarding the entrance to the building. The light finally shone on his shadowed body revealing a forest green robe reaching to the waist, with spotless platinum armour covering his shoulders and arms. The robe parted at his sides, with only two long strips reaching his lower legs at the back, and the gleaming armour containing spiralling glyphs to fill the blank spaces. The two henchmen watched in confusion and the figure wandered towards them, arms behind his back in a nonchalant manner.

“Get lost buddy, private business transaction.” One of the guards finally said in a gruff, aggravated tone. The other guard beside him brought out a blood red cleaver in a vain attempt to increase their threat level. The hooded man opposite them slowly began to walk forward, holding a finger to his ear as he went.

“So, what’re you betting on?” He asked to the girl on the other end of the device, to which he smiled at her reply.

“Six seconds, and one hit.” She cheerfully said after a second of thought. As they talked the two guards slowly approached the man.

“I’ll do it in three, no hits easy. You doubt me too much.”

He pulled a small metallic cylinder the size of his forearm from the inside of his robe, which swiftly extended into a long staff, a sharp, serrated blade protruding from the bottom end, and a barrel with a trigger at the other. A small compartment unlocked at the flip of a switch, and while the two guards prepared themselves, the man placed a string of small cartridges inside the opening, and held up a finger to the two henchmen who stopped in their tracks, increasingly aggravated at the display of stalling performed in front of them.

“Hang on guys, don’t want to get any cuts now do we?” He said slyly as the blade extending from the staff retreated back inside its compartment. The two criminals growled as they stepped forward, and the girl on the communicator began a countdown.

“Three….” The men raised their weapons.

“Two…” The hooded figure stepped forward, leaving only the quiet of footsteps and light rainfall in the streets.

“One….” One of the guards began to charge, cleaver raised above his head. The staff wielder quickly changed his stance so he was low to the ground, legs spread wide apart. As the makeshift bouncer began to strike down his weapon, the defender spun his staff in a wide circle, clipping the guards’ feet and planting him on the ground. With a smooth motion, the staff wielder grabbed his attacker by the hair, and with weapon in his off hand, knocked him out cold.

“Why you sneaky little~!” The second attacker exclaimed, alarmed at how easily his partner was taken out. Looking down and reaching into his pocket, he pulled a pistol from inside and aimed at seemingly nothing. The henchman then jumped as the other figure popped up from behind him, leaning forward.

“Here’s a tip, get your gun before the fight starts.” And with that the hooded figure poked the man in the side with the staff, and pulled the trigger. The man jolted and pulsed with electricity before collapsing on the wet pavement, a small trickle of smoke rising from his unconscious form to which the victor batted away while reaching for his ear.

“How was that?”

“Eight seconds, should’ve kept your mouth shut.” The woman on the other end replied, a triumphant tone in her voice.

“Hey I just warned him so I could have some challenge next time! Besides, no hits, I should at least get some points fo-oomf….!”

The victors’ chat was cut short when a body flung itself directly into him, muffled music ringing in his ears as he struggled regain his composure. His vision blurred as he saw a small girl, clad in red and black. The robed man left his mouth agape at the sight of the weapon she carried with her, spinning it with ease and planting it into the road.

“Hey I love that song….” He grunted as he picked himself up off the wet ground, almost falling over wincing as the more static buzzed in his ear once again.

"What was that?" The female voice cried, desperately trying to hear something from her partner.

“Damnit don’t call me while I’m -Ugh!” He grunted again as a pole jabbed him in the back and pinned him down, turning his head he turned to see literal white collar criminal looking down at him.

“YOU again? Didn’t you learn your lesson last time?” Torchwick blurted out in a slightly shocked tone, surprised to see the figure that had been attempting to hunt him down back in action so soon. Looking up from his pinned foe, he looked up at the girl who had just made a mess of several of his henchmen. Furrowing his brow, he took the cigar he had been smoking out of his mouth and looked towards the remaining forces at his disposal.

“Well? Get her!”

His men began to charge at the girl in red, who one by one, were thrown to the ground due to her far superior speed and skill. Even the staff wielder stood, or rather, lay in awe at her effortless spinning and fighting style that left the remainder of the criminals on the cold pavement in seconds. The flame haired leader sighed and began to flip his cane, and smacked the robed man in the face, causing him to groan in pain, Torchwick then shifted his focus to the scythe wielding student. “Well Red, I think we can all say it’s been an eventful evening.” He said dryly as he dropped the still lit cigar from his hand and flattened it with his cane. Which was pointed at the girl, revealing a barrel and crosshair.

“…And as much as I’d like to stick around, I’m afraid this is where we part ways.” He fired an explosive shot of blinding orange flame, where the robed man on the ground lifted his head to see the girl in the red hood struck, or so he thought. Noticing Torchwick making a climb for a nearby rooftop, he swiftly clambered up and charged after him, with the girl in red in pursuit behind them both. As the criminal made his way towards the edge of the rooftop, holding the black bowler hat safely atop his head, the red fighter made it to his position in what felt like the blink of an eye, the green hunter still hastily making his way up the ladder with his mouth agape.

“Man…I gotta learn to do that.” He said between breaths, his robe fluttering as the winds began to pick up around him.

“Do what? Tell me what’s happening!” The voice on the other end of his device spoke, to which the man responded by clicking the mute button. Making his way up the final steps to the roof, he panted before regaining his composure, steadying himself as the winds increased.

“Ugh, always so bossy.”

He looked on as the criminal he was hunting made his way inside an airship, the blaring noise of the engines ringing in his ears.

_How the hell did I not hear that before?_

Shaking off his train of thought, the robed man ran towards his red saviour as Torchwick fired another shot. The direct hit creating a gust of dust around the building, he stood mouth agape as it was blocked by another woman. A true huntress. Using what seemed to be a riding crop, she created a shield of purple magic to protect from the blast. A small, stylish cape moved slightly in the aftermath, and her proper stance seemingly unmoved by the attack. The two women began to attack the aircraft as it left, failing to shoot it down. Shaking his head, the hooded figure ran towards the fighters before the airship finally propelled itself away, his target safe.

“Damn it, you can’t just let him get away!” He exclaimed to the two women before him. The small girl in red looked at him with curious silver eyes as he paced back and forth, eyes planted on the airship slowly fading into the dark. The other, much older woman turned to him, wide eyed as she pointed her weapon at the man.

“You’re….” She began, at a loss for words once again leaving an awkward silence in the air. The huntress slowly began to change her expression from shock to anger, leaving the other figure in front of her to take a step back.

“Oh crap…Uh…Look, no hard feelings! I’ll get him next time! Heheh….” The man stammered, his eyes shifting back and forth between the two. Before the woman could say anything else, he ran. Collapsing his weapon as he bolted across the rooftop. Eyeing a lower building he projected his aura, allowing him to safely land onto the lower rooftops with a lime green glow surrounding him, a dim beacon in the night. As he blended into the shadows of the alleyways once more the blonde huntress sighed before turning to the girl in red, who was gazing up at her with wide eyes.

“You’re a huntress….Can I have your autograph!?”

* * *

 

Torchwick sighed deeply as he lay back in the pilots’ seat of the airship, holding the bridge of his nose with two fingers.

“That fool still giving you trouble?” Cooed a voice from the woman standing beside him, her sultry movements made the criminal ever so slightly uncomfortable when he saw the person said movements belonged to. He turned his head slowly towards the amber eyed maiden, a small smile creeping on his lips as he replied.

“He’s more of a nuisance than anything, he hasn’t even come close to stopping us. He’ll give up sooner or later.”

Torchwick had a short but impactful history with the man in question, making several attempts to stop his dust-stealing escapades, the green robed man only ever managed to dispose of the henchmen he would bring with him, and never Torchwick himself. The two would always meet in a standoff that resulted in the so called ‘hero’ almost always defeated in seconds, Torchwicks’ skill in fighting surpassing his opponent by far.

“Well don’t get cocky my pawn, you never know when he might get the upper hand.” The woman’s ash coloured hair touched his shoulders as she brushed a hand against his cheek, causing the criminal to shudder in his seat before taking a reclining in the chair next to him. The airship became a small speck in the night sky as it gained altitude, as it did so the woman crossed her legs and folded her arms, attitude changing completely as she continued.

“What happened to the haul?” She said flatly, eyes directly forward. Her newly sharp tone of voice made Torchwick slightly more wary.

“Some kid got the jump on us, damn scythe users. You know those buffoons you hired are useless, couldn't stop a baby with a rattle. I don’t know why we still work with them.”

“Well don’t screw it up next time, and I’ll be sure to get some more capable buffoons to follow you.” The woman replied, a sly grin creeping up on the corners of her mouth.

"Good. Next time that fool gets in my way he’s dead."


	2. Chapter 2: Watchful Eyes

The girl in red sat dumbfounded at the events that had just unfolded in front of her, first stopping a robbery, and now being accepted into the prestigious Beacon Academy two years early. Ruby Rose was finally going to learn how to become a true huntress, her interview with the calm and collected headmaster led to the huge jump that would change her entire life. She was soon met by a man in a grey suit, who beckoned her to enter the car for her trip back home, as she excitedly jogged her way to the limousine she began squealing softly to herself.

“Ohmygosh I’m going to finally be a huntress this is the most amazing thing I’ve ever…..” Her voice trailed off as her makeshift chauffer closed the door to the car behind her once she entered. As the vehicle drove off into the night, the two people who had spoken two her before were left to themselves.

“You really think it’s a good idea to let someone as young as her into the school?” the huntress asked, waving a strand of golden hair from between her eyes as she spoke. The man beside her calmly took another swig of coffee before replying.

“I believe she has potential, and I’ve never gained anything without taking a few risks.” He said flatly before taking another swig of coffee. The two slowly began walking towards their own way home, the clouds slowly clearing up making way for calming moonlight setting in the streets. A streetlamp began to flicker softly as the bespectacled couple strolled down the path, the woman slowly took out her scroll device and after a few taps on the screen, drew in a sharp breath.

“We saw _him_ today you know, Ozpin. not nearly as heroic as the stories make us believe.” She stated, still flicking her finger across the screen of her translucent pad.

“The media has a habit of making things seem more than they are, still capable though I assume?” Ozpin replied, smirking at her remark.

“You’re not thinking of drafting another child into Beacon, are you?”

“A child?”

“He was also….Younger, than the stories made us believe.”

The headmaster remained unphased by her question, seeing through his vacant expressions every time left him unsurprised when she guessed what he was thinking. Ozpin decided to simply nod to the teacher beside him as they entered a nearby car. The doors snapped shut once inside and hastily drove through the city. Goodwitch kept her formal posture as the Professor slouched, resting his chin on his hands.

“You cannot just keep bringing in students from everywhere, certainly not that undisciplined boy.” She stated, shifting her glasses up with a finger in an attempt to symbolize her authority. Ozpin simply shook his head slightly, sitting up so he was once again at eye level with the woman.

“Glynda, hunters and huntresses are what keep our lands safe, the very core of our security and protection. We know this better than anyone.”

“But-“Glynda began to speak against the grey haired Professor, but was stopped in her tracks when he slowly raised his palm so silence her.

“ _But **…**_ I will not make a decision until I meet him for myself. Have we made any progress on finding him?”

The blond huntress began telling him of the events that unfolded tonight, and how she was out tonight with meet with the scouts who were close to uncovering the location of the vigilante. She explained how it would still take time to find exactly where he is hiding, and as the conversation died down, a still silence overtook the air as they entered an airship stationed on a landing platform. The pair looked out of a side window of the ship to the quiet city below, the buildings and streetlights filling the area like tiny beacons. Glynda turned back to her scroll, which was now displaying a news article from a previous day, as well as a vague, blurry photograph of a certain green robed man.

**_CITY VIGILANTE SPOTTED, FRIEND OR FOE?_ **

****

* * *

**__**

**_  
_ **

“-This is the best day ever!” Ruby found herself crushed in the embrace of her sister, who was squeezing her tiny figure out of sheer excitement.

“Pleash shtop….” Ruby cried under muffled breaths, her face planted against the shoulder of her blond sibling. Shortly after the scarfed girl relieved her sister from her grasp, instead choosing the dance on the spot.

The Beacon airship was enormous, housing dozens of new soon to be students with still room to run laps around the floor. Large golden supports lined sky blue walls, slanted to give the windows placed along it a perfect view of the cityscape below. The royal blue flooring giving a professional and clean look to the interior of the aircraft, and the distinct green lighting lining each support giving off a light glow that illuminated the floor and walls.

The pair ceased their bickering as they saw a group of passengers flocking towards the holographic screen nearby, noticing the volume increase on the system, they both made their way through the small crowd to see the commotion.

“…The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick who continues to evade authorities.” The narration on the screen spoke, and the image changed to that of a mugshot of a beaten Torchwick, his hair ruffled and missing the signature hat. The man on screen continued as the screen changed again.

“Eyewitness accounts of last night’s robbery attempt revealed a green figure fighting back against Torchwick and his followers, Lisa Lavender is here with more, Lisa?”

The new image showed a white haired reporter, her figure sitting alongside a blurred image.

“That’s right Cyril, the owner of the attacked dust store reported the criminals in question only wished to steal dust, and no form of currency was taken. The man requested his name not be revealed to the public, but he did state that he caught a glimpse of the vigilante who has been stalking criminals over the past few weeks.” The image changed again to a drawn representation of a robed figure, silver pauldrons covering him.

The older sibling was too busy purring over the still image on the screen to notice Ruby tugging at her jacket sleeve.

“Yaaang…I think I met him!” Ruby exclaimed, to which several heads turned at the outburst and began talking amongst themselves. She covered her mouth once another student put a finger to his lips, each member of the crowd turned back to the bright hologram.

“…..Said to use a staff and electric charges, an arrested associate of Torchwick revealed no solid information on this vigilante, other than he was a male in his late teens, with grey eyes, light facial hair and a slim build. Authorities ask that anyone matching this description is reported to police immediately.” The screen then changed to a report of Faunus protests, to which several of the passengers on the aircraft lost interest and the crowd began to disperse.

Ruby noticed a few students turning their heads to her after the report, then quickly whipping back to the groups they were in once she took notice. Yang however, was staring wide eyed at her little sister, whom she quickly grabbed and began shaking vigorously.

“You met the vigilante?! What was he like!? Was he handsome?! Tell meeee!” She cried out, gaining the attention of several onlookers aboard the ship in the process. Ruby’s attempt at a response resulted in nothing but mumbled stammering due to the ferocity of Yang’s interrogation. The two were quickly brought to a halt however, as a hologram of the bespectacled woman from a few nights before appeared in the place of the news screen. The crowd’s attention once again brought to the screen as she introduced herself. The ship slowly drifted towards the academy as the sun shone high above the clouds, as if symbolizing a bright new future awaiting all of those on board.

As the colossal airship parked with ease alongside the platform, the entire city could be seen clearly below as well as the many surrounding villages scattered across the luscious green landscape. The creatures of Grimm that tainted the less populated areas seemed non-existent, the peacefulness of the urban areas making it feel like the era of peace achieved many years ago wiped every trace of the monsters from the planet, despite the many hunters and huntresses fighting every day to keep the lands of Remnant safe.

The passengers on the aircraft made their way out of the docking area, several ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ could be heard from the new students, including the two sisters who were admiring the sheer size of the academy. Its pointed towers more reminiscent of a medieval castle than an actual school, the structure reaching several stories with green and red trees covering the gardens around the courtyards.

And from the highest central tower, the headmaster of the prestigious academy watched as the newest arrivals made their way to their new home, and their next step in becoming the protectors of the world and its inhabitants from the darkness ever so present.

 

* * *

 

“It’s been a week since you last saw Torchwick and you get closer to being seen every day, you know you really should start wearing a mask or something.”

“What? Afraid some other girl will fall for my looks when I save her life?”

“Yes, because I’m _SO_ jealous of the countless groupies you have waiting to get your autograph…”

“Hey, I’ve heard the vigilante has been getting quite a following lately!”

“Oh they are going to be very disappointed.”

The two characters bickered between each other in the dark room, computer monitors covering the walls giving a dull glow around them, just a trickle of sunlight making its way through the slits between the walls and curtains. The male in the room sighed as he resumed tweaking screw on his weapon in a simple shirt and pants, his signature robe pitched up on a coat hanger in the far corner of the room. Scylla placed down a scroll on her desk, shutting down with a soft beep and turned to the man.

“You’ll see, if they ever find out who I am, they’ll have bestselling books in their stores. I can see the title now, ‘Cyprus Haze, Hero to the Public’!” he cried, triumphantly raising a clenched fist above his head. Taking extra care to be in the spotlight of the computer screens, his messy Genoa coloured hair standing out in the white light.

“You need a haircut.” The girl said flatly, lifting a finger to point at Cyprus’ scruffy hairdo. Shortened at the sides and back with the front left messy and rough-looking. The man pouted and furrowed his brow before sitting back down.

“Yeah and you need to wax…” He spouted under his breath, upset at his friends’ lacklustre reaction.

“What was that?”

“Nothing!”

The pair sat in silence for a few more minutes, with the woman finally returning to her series of screens. The small apartment somehow managed to be kept clean, half the room filled with neatly stacked boxes filled with wiring and electrical equipment, the other end with barely enough space for a couch and the desk brimming with computers and other monitoring devices. Cyprus slowly collapsed his staff and placed it within the pocket of the hung up robe, before turning to speak to his roommate.

“Hey Scylla? How do you even work with all those other screens going at once?” He asked, lifting his feet up onto the couch and yawning into his hand.

“I’m good at what I do, you don’t have to worry about how I do it.” Scylla replied, irritated with the doubt given by her partner. This was the third time this week he had asked the same series of questions, yet he still doubted her abilities. The cameras around the city were her eyes, the communication link with himself her ears, and any other network she could hack herself into was her constant flow of news and information in Cyprus’s desperate attempt at making the streets safer.

Satisfied with that answer, the young man began fiddling with his scroll, swiping up to get a look at the constant flurry of news articles and theories that showed when he searched for the ‘Vale Vigilante’. He was about to make another snarky remark about his sudden popularity when Scylla called out to him, twitching her fingers over her shoulder to beckon him closer.

“Hey, I’ve got something.” She called out, and began pointing towards a monitor on the middle row. A camera with a view of one of the less pleasant alleyways was shown, the sun casting a shadow over the street. Inside the alley an elderly man was being hassled by a group of suited thugs, a one-on-five match.

“Well? What’re you waiting for? It’s nearby, go!” Scylla exclaimed, jumping out of her seat and pushing the fighter out of his seat, giving him barely enough time to reach for his equipment before being ushered out the door.

“Jeez alright alright, Miss Bossypants!” Cyprus grunted as the door was slammed in his face. Hastily putting on his robe, he headed for the roof where he could get a decent vantage point, as he climbed the stairs he heard his partner shout out to him.

“That’s Miss Scylla Varun Bossypants to you dear sir! Now get your butt moving!”

Cyprus rolled his eyes at the announcement, clipping his communicator over his ear he switched it on.

“Haven’t seen Torchwick in a while, all we’ve dealt with in these past couple of weeks are petty muggings and brawls…You think he’s all worn out?” He asked his companion, running up the stairs with surprising speed. Due to his knowledge of the buildings around him he had easily mapped out the quickest way to get where he needed to be.

“After getting your ass handed to you last time? Of course, he totally ran off with his tail between his legs.” Scylla joked, although she didn’t have any view of the store that night, she easily could tell how his most recent attack on the thief went when he got back.

Heading to the edge of the rooftop, Cyprus spotted a decent route towards the alleyway. Being on the edges of the more rough areas of the city, the pair of vigilantes were easily able to find and get to where most of the simpler crimes happened. Hooking his staff over a wire stretching to another building, the green robed vigilante sailed over the streets, the ground below populated by those thankfully with no reason to look above them, Cyprus ducked down into one of the branching alleyways and snuck through the shadows to get to the target, Scylla chatting in his ear along the way.

“Head left at this intersection, then they’re right around the corner.” The hacker mentioned under her breath, though just loud enough for Cyrus to take notice. “This is strange…”

“What is it?” He questioned, hearing the concern in her voice.

Scylla quickly looked through a book she left under her desk, flipping through it she quickly found a map of her camera locations, matching the one on the screen with the map, the girl raised her brow and brushed a piece of her Milano red hair out of her eyes.

“Well…This camera is probably the most noticeable one we have, I mean you can see it from the other end of the alley if you look hard enough.” She said, leaning forward in her seat. Something didn’t seem right, no criminal is so stupid as to commit a crime right in the view of a security camera, especially one so easily found.

“Meh, these idiots probably have no idea. Okay I’m here, shut up.” Cyrus replied sharply.

“But I didn’t-“

_Click_

Shaking his head, he expected a beating once he got back for muting his friend once again. Inhaling, he stealthily made his way through the alley, he would easily be seen if the enemy turned the corner, so he made it a point to be a silent as possible. Light on his feet, he reached the final corner and extended his staff. Taking a defensive stance, he moved around the corner and caught the eyes of the criminals, and on the ground lay the beaten middle aged man.

“Five on one, real brave of you.” Cyprus remarked sarcastically, twirling the staff around his back he aimed the barrel at one of the suited men, who proceeded to back away from the defenceless victim.

“Oh crap, is that…?” One of them exclaimed, eyes wide with shock. Suddenly a bolt of electricity smacked one of the thugs in the chest, causing him to collapse and twitch on the ground. The other four began to quickly disperse following the loss of one member of their team.

“Aw come on! Done already!? Bunch of pansies…” The vigilante said, collapsing his staff back to its compact form, he turned to the man on the ground, clutching something in his hand. Reaching out for him, he offered the wrinkled elder a hand up.

“Thank you my friend, thank you. Now then….”

Cyprus barely had time to even contemplate what had happened when the man he had saved struck him in the neck, causing the vigilante to kneel and collapse onto the ground. The older man pulled a miniscule syringe from his saviour’s neck while reaching in his own pocket for a scroll.

“Sir? Yes sir, we have him. We’ll bring him to you as soon as possible.”

From the apartment room, Scylla sat in shock, unable to comprehend what had took place. She called out to her friend as she saw him dragged by the thugs and thrown into a car, as it began to leave, she opened her wardrobe to grab her own combat gear and stormed out of the apartment. The cameras and other equipment still creating a dull glow in the dark room.

Scylla headed to the roof to gain some kind of vantage point, but Cyrus, and the men who took him were already long gone.


	3. Chapter 3: Tagged and Bagged

Ruby Rose’s short time at beacon had been a mixed bag. On one hand she had met several friends, tested her combat skills, becoming the leader of her own team joined by her sister and newfound friend Blake Belladonna. And finally managing to gain the respect of most of her peers, most being the key word. On the other hand there was Weiss, the rather uptight heiress to the Schnee dust company, and member of team RWBY, the snow haired young lady had made Ruby’s life much more difficult than necessary. Ever since the team was decided she had given Ruby a hard time, believing her to be unfit for leadership. The latest class had emphasised this point, ending with a struggled victory over a Boarbatusk by the rapier wielding student despite the attempts the young leader made to give advice.

“…I’ve studied, and trained! And quite frankly, I deserve better.” The heiress spoke, her words piercing the young girls’ spirit with each syllable. Ruby reached a hand out as Weiss turned her back, leaving her leader in the dark hallway alone.

“Ozpin made a mistake.” And with that, Weiss made her way out of the building, aggravated beyond measure by her new teammate. Ruby slumped her shoulders and began to trudge back to her dorm, where she almost walked into the aforementioned Professor, who had shown up just that moment.

“Hmm…” Ozpin mumbled, looking at the heiress as she turned a corner, signature coffee mug in hand. “Now that didn’t seem to go very well.”

Ruby backed away slightly, still stunned at the headmasters sudden convenient arrival. The girl looked up at him with a saddened expression, eyes beginning to water.

“Is she right? Did you make a mistake?” She asked, voice crackling as she was left almost on the verge of tears by the previous argument. Ozpin simply chuckled at the statement, looking down to the young warrior, he replied in a soft and calm manner.

“That remains to be seen.”

Ruby lifted a brow and titled her head, puzzled by the Professors’ reply.

“What do you mean?” She asked, straightening her posture and wiping a small tear track from the side of her face.

The Professor proceeded to sigh and take a quick gulp of his coffee, shifting his stance so that slightly more weight was pressed on his cane.

“I mean it’s only been one day…” Ruby smiled at this response slightly, as the Professor continued. “I’ve made more mistakes than any man, woman and child on this planet. But at this moment I would not consider your appointment to leader to be one of them.”

The headmaster leant forward to meet the student’s eye level, smirking.

“Do you?”

Ruby contemplated for a moment, shifting her eyes back and forth before meeting Ozpins’ gaze once again.

“I-I’m not sure….” She stammered, the Professor paused for a moment, then hummed and stood up straight.

“Miss Rose…” He began, “Being a team leader isn’t just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly. If you are not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you?”

Ruby dipped her head slightly, learning the meaning of what Ozpin was trying to have her understand. But she quickly lifted it back up, smiling at her mentor. She nodded her head and began to thank the headmaster for making her realize what it means to be the leader of a team. But before she could, he had already turned his back and stared off down the other end of the vast hallway, tilting his head as he continued.

“You’ve been burdened with a daunting responsibility, Ruby. I advise you take some time to think of how you will uphold it.” The Professor began to stroll away, when suddenly his pocket began to vibrate. Folding his cane and taking his Scroll in a now free hand, he slowly walked back down the hallway he came from, footsteps echoing down the empty room. The sun began to set on the horizon with the last of the warming light of day reaching Ruby’s face as she walked outside, feeling a newfound confidence in herself.

Ozpin turned his back on the redhead as she left the building, finally answering the call on his Scroll he spoke, heart beating ever so slightly faster.

“Yes? Very well. Do not damage it.” The headmaster said flatly, after the short conversation he made his way slowly back to his office in the central tower. The sun quickly setting over the ocean as he climbed in an elevator, squinting his eyes slightly as the glare pierced his vision through the glass. As the lift climbed higher, he quickly tapped a few keys on his device, bringing up a text window. Setting his mug down on a small shelf in the glass enclosure, he began writing his message.

_To: Glynda Goodwitch_

_Package retrieved, meet in my office._

_-Ozpin._

* * *

__

Scylla sat quietly in her apartment, rubbing her hands together in an effort to keep calm. Cyprus was gone, snatched away by a group of well-dressed tricksters. She found herself completely useless, even unable to cry due to the shock of what had took place. Her partner was a fool, an idiot with a farfetched dream of turning into something he was never even close to becoming, but he was still her friend, and she needed to get him back. A few hours had passed since his disappearance, and she decided to finally remove herself from the couch, a light imprint still remained on the cushions due to the time spent sat in the same position.

“Stupid Cyprus and his stupid staff and his stupid...” The girl paused for a moment, turning her head to the floor nearby, her eyes widened as she had a rare eureka moment.

“…Oh Scylla, you stupid genius!”

 Scylla picked up her earpiece from the corner of the room where she had thrown it out of frustration earlier and switched it on, even though her foolish friend probably still had her on mute. She hoped once he woke up he would at least try and message her, if the device was still on him that is.

“Come on, give me something!” She cried out to the nothingness surrounding her, opening the blinds to let the moonlight through the window. Not exactly as useful as rays of the sun that the pair usually hid themselves from, but much prettier than having the blinds closed constantly. Looking outwards to the streets below where no doubt Cyprus would normally prowl at this time, searching for his next criminal victim. She chuckled to herself before regaining her composure and taking a seat at her desk, the large screens still lighting up the room.

“Now then…Let’s see where you went…” The tech expert softly spoke to herself as she booted up the screens plastering the wall. After fixing her hair back up into its unique horizontal braid, opening the recorded footage of the scene that unfolded that afternoon, her eyes scanned for any remarkable detail that could stand out, anything that could give her a clue to finding him. The redheaded girl searched through the recordings for what felt like hours, the moon passing slowly overhead as the night passed by. The apartment room illuminating the street beside it almost entirely through the amount of screens displaying the bright lights, each telling a separate story of the days’ events.

 Looking through the few cameras that caught footage of the car as it travelled through the city, Scylla finally found what she was looking for. Narrowing her gaze to give her a better view, zoomed in on one of the screens which caught the rear end of the car that took Cyprus. Tapping her fingers on the desk she noticed something on the dark grey sedan that stood out, just barely visible on the corner of the trunk.

“Let’s see what we have here….” A grin formed in the corner of her mouth, finally finding the clue that would lead her. The moment of triumph that she felt was however quickly thrown away once a tense silence overtook the room, Scylla’s’ hands paralysed in shock, her breathing ceased. Staring at the screen she saw a blurred symbol, but it was still evidently clear of what it belonged to.

Two plain axes, crossing each other at the handle.

The symbol of Beacon Academy.

 

* * *

 

Ozpin finally arrived at the desk of his office, the sun had finally set over the horizon and the countless stars already littered the night sky, making them seem like a reflection of the countless lights of the glistening cityscape below. The professor hummed to himself as he admired the spectacular view from where he was standing, reaching for another sip of coffee, he softly grumbled in disappointment as he found his mug empty.

“Headmaster.” A feminine voice said flatly. Ozpin turned around to see Glynda standing in the centre of his office, waiting for him. Her arms folded across her chest, head titled slightly higher than normal as if to enhance her serious nature.

“Glynda, I’m glad to see you got my message.” The professor said simply, his voice tame and calm as always, he raised a brow when he saw the woman close her eyes and shake her head at the grey haired superior. Sometimes she swore she was like a mother to him, attempting to scold the man for doing something brash and thoughtless.

“Ozpin you shouldn’t have done this, you could have just found him, talked to him yourself.” She stated, her tone raised in a slightly irritated manner. The now coffee-less Ozpin strolled past the blond teacher, unphased, and set his mug on his desk.

“He calls himself a vigilante, the idea of which is that he stays hidden. He never would have come out had we just asked him, so this was the most efficient method.” The headmaster replied in a simple tone.

“But what if he fights back? Injures someone trying to leave!?” Glynda was almost shouting now, yet still failing to make a dent in the professor’s steel-strong collectedness. Ozpin made his way around his desk and sat down in his chair. The dim lighting in the office created a calming atmosphere that Goodwitch couldn’t help but feel just that little bit of relaxation when inside, leading her to take a deep breath as the headmaster rested his chin on his hands.

“We will simply talk to him. Ask of his motives, his ideals, what he wants to become. If he wishes to join us, he may. If not, we will let him go.” He said, quietly pouring himself another cup of coffee from the machine on his desk. Glynda, however widened her eyes in shock at the plan.

“He is a _Criminal_! We can’t just let him go back once he is here!” The woman cried out, becoming more furious with the decisions Ozpin was making. Her voice began to echo around the room, and a small wax candle on the corner of the headmaster’s desk began to flicker, the small teardrop of heat warming the side of Ozpins’ left hand as he moved them forward slightly. 

“It is not a hunters’ duty to concern themselves with the activities of law enforcement, Glynda.” He stated, much to the blonde enchantresses protest. “Unless his activities affect us and innocent people in some kind of negative way, we should not get involved in the goings on of the Police department.” Opzin continued, taking another quiet sip of his drink. Goodwitch sighed and placed her hands on hips, although still believing the headmaster’s decision to be unwise, she could do nothing to dissuade him.

Glynda turned towards to edge of the headmaster’s office, looking out over the city through the thick glass windows that made up a majority of the walls around them. No words were spoken between the two for some time, leaving only the sounds of breathing available to her ears. In the distance, blinking lights slowly made their way towards the front of the academy, the whirring engines of a small aircraft spun and slowed as it landed on a platform. Glynda slowly made her way inside the elevator before turning to the headmaster.

“Someday your eagerness to recruit any child you see with potential will backfire, Ozpin. And it will be on your head when it does.”

Ozpin said nothing, instead rather to give his compatriot a short nod in acceptance of her parting speech. As the doors to the lift closed, Ozpin noticed his Scroll once again begin signalling an incoming message. Left alone with nothing but the rectangular device placed on his desk, he placed his mug beside him and took hold of the machine, opening the newly received message.

_To: Ozpin_

_Package almost here, where should we take it?_

_-R._

The grey haired professor placed a finger to loosen the forest green scarf surrounding his neck, grinning sightly to himself. Laying back in his chair, he sent a short reply to the sender and rested the device back on top of the polished Oak desk.

_To: R,_

_Stellar work, bring it to my office._

_-Oz._

* * *

__

Scylla finished putting the remaining pieces of her combat gear on, muttering to herself as she did. The reason Beacon Academy of all the places in Vale would want Cyprus boggled her mind, the police, government, even other criminals all made sense, but a school? The fiery redhead shook away the thoughts as she did a final check of her equipment. A black simple undercoat reaching her thighs, and a hood covering a majority of her appearance. Her arms containing Seafoam tinted metal Vambraces which spined upwards along the topside of her forearms, as well as a metallic chestplate of the same colour. Simple grey cargo pants and lengthened black leather boots, perfect for both style, combat and evasion. The entirety of the outfit lined with gold trims adding a rather unique touch the basic attire.

“Right…Let’s see if you still work.” She remarked, grabbing her weapon from its display on a far wall. It had been a while since she last used her weapon, ever since changing to her overwatch lifestyle she hadn’t had many chances to practice her skills, save for one particular night when a pair of burglars made a spectacularly bad attempt to take her prized home network.

Doing a quick mental rundown of her weapon she let out a sigh of relief as she still knew the weapon like the back of her hand. The jet black crossbow encrusted neatly with several dust crystals, with blue spiralling marks along the limbs and stock. Her pouch of bolts rested neatly on her belt, filled to the brim with dust fuelled tips of all kinds, creating a rainbow of colours along her waist.

Heading to the roof, she remembered each route Cyprus took to effortlessly move around the city, each back alley and shortcut imprinted in both of their minds turning their way of travel into almost second nature. Observing the nearby Aircraft soaring above the city she spotted one landing at a platform a few blocks away. Looking like a small civilian transport, the young hacker swiftly made her way across the rooftops, focusing her aura to give her a slight boost in momentum.

The streets at this time of night were nearly abandoned, despite the lack of crime in the area thanks to the pair working to keep them safe. Soaring over another rooftop the tech expert pondered how she would even get to Beacon, much less rescue her friend once she got there. Unfortunately, this was the only plan she had, and noticing the few people leaving the airship, she took the opportunity. Bracing herself, Scylla lowered herself from the roof, grabbing onto a drainpipe that stretched to the ground floor below and sliding down. Sneaking behind a small maintenance shed she peeked around the corner, keeping her body low to the ground as to not be noticed by the two men standing watch at the door of the ship. Covering her mouth and nose with another piece of black cloth that hung from the inside of her collar, Scylla quickly turned and headed around the back of the two guards, keeping to the shadows as much as possible.

“Hey? Where do you think Grimm come from?” One of the men said, clad in a simple grey polo shirt and worker jeans. He proceeded to blow a cluster of smoke from his nostrils, cigarette in hand.

“Ugh, this again?” The other man said, his much taller figure slumped against a piece of metal sticking down from the aircraft. The light from a nearby streetlamp casting long shadows over the ground from where they stood. The smoker gave an irritated look to his associate’s lack of enthusiasm, before turning his head back to the street and continuing.

“ **I** think they came from another planet, I mean they barely even look like animals what with all those spines and white bony bits and….What do you think?” The shorter man turned, only to see his friend slumped against the ground, standing above him was Scylla, her crossbow held at head level with one hand, her other planted on her waist in a sultry pose.

“What the f-! “ The man began to spout, before being knocked unconscious from a swift roundhouse kick by the woman in front of him.

“Sorry boys, I call dibs on this one.” The brawler chuckled, holstering her crossbow into a frame of leather attached to her back. Turning to the door of the ship, she quickly dragged the two unconscious men back to the maintenance shed and climbed aboard, taking a seat in the cockpit. Looking at the vast array of flashing lights, knobs and buttons, the only thing that made sense to the computer whiz were the control wheel and throttle levers placed in front of the pilots’ seat.

“Oh great…This is what I get for not doing my homework…” Scylla cursed under her breath, but suddenly jolted as she pressed the ignition, a voice appearing on a nearby screen.

“Hello! I am the B80CG Civilian air transport vehicle!” The cheery feminine voice stated, the woman inside stammered before thinking of an appropriate reply.

“Uh, hello! Big...Ship lady…”

“Would you like me to run the tutorial program? Autopilot is enabled automatically however manual controls may be turned on if you require!” The cheerfulness of the VI’s robotic voice echoed in the cockpit, and the mention of an autopilot grabbed the attention of the crossbow wielder inside.

“Yes! Autopilot! Can you plot a course to Beacon Academy?” Scylla exclaimed, her excitement getting the better of her.

“Affirmative, please take a seat. Arrival to Beacon academy in fifteen minutes.” The autopilot said flatly, her friendly tone only recognized as a computerized voice due to the distinct pauses she took between words. As the ship’s engines fired up, the plane thief barely had time to take a seat before the craft jostled and wobbled from its lift-off. Looking down to the ground below, Scylla noticed a small group of people running onto the platform, powerless to stop her as the airship lifted off. As it gained altitude, she felt the cool air making its way into the interior, causing the redhead to shudder both from the increasing cold, and the anticipation of the events that awaited her. The young woman gazed out the window of the ship towards the calm city below, and looking up she could see the towers of the academy reaching almost all the way to the clouds, a guardian structure responsible for creating the next generation of hunters and huntresses. The protectors of the entire world.

 

 


	4. The Proposition

Cyprus groaned as his vision slowly returned, his eyes failing to focus on anything around him. The last thing he remembered was walking around the corner of the shady alley before attacking the criminals beating that elderly man, the thoughts went through his head at a million miles an hour, barely able to concentrate on anything.

_Did I lose? Where am I? What am I going to have for dinner tonight?_

Shaking his head despite the headache he had crying out in protest, the crime fighter rolled his head upwards, finally managing to focus his vision to the area. He felt a soothing heat as he noticed his robe was off, leaving him in a simple black shirt and blue jeans, tight fitting which emphasised the lack of noticeable muscle on his body. As Cyprus’s eyesight returned to him, he noticed he was sat in a dark leather armchair, and standing in front of him was an unfamiliar man.

“Good evening.” He stated, a suspiciously inviting smile on his face.

“Uh, good evening?” The vigilante replied, groaning as he rubbed the side of his face with his right palm. Looking around the room he was in, he noticed the darkness outside and pondered just how long he had been out of it. His gaze returning to the mystery man, Cyprus noticed that they were alone, the large office mostly empty save for the desk and two individuals present inside.

“Do you know who I am?” The bespectacled male questioned, his eyes unmoving from contact with Cyprus, making him feel uncomfortable. Unfortunately for the younger man, he had no idea, and saved his humour for another time as he simply shook his head.

“And do you know where we are?”

“I want to say either a Government building or the home of some major bigshot mob boss who sees me as a problem…” Cyprus answered before taking a more in depth view of the area around him, taking notice that he wasn’t even tied to his seat. “But, seeing as we’re the only ones here, and I can just…Get up and walk? I suppose you’re someone who just wants to chat.”

The man raised a brow as the ‘captive’ in front of him slowly rose from his seat, double checking to see if there wasn’t anything holding him in place. Heading towards a large window to his left, Cyprus could see the pointed towers and structures around him and the lush gardens far below. Putting the pieces together, he realized exactly where he was.

“Welcome to Beacon, vigilante. I am Professor Ozpin.” The seated man said, finally. Pouring a fresh mug of coffee, the headmaster watched as Cyprus quickly backed up, eyes shifting to the surrounding areas outside, his footsteps creating light echoes around the circular room. Raising his hand in jest, the confused vigilante turned to Ozpin and opened his mouth to speak, waiting for the moment a quick nod and a chuckle came from the professor.

“Uh yeah, I have _several_ questions….” Cyprus uttered, watching as the academy’s headmaster lay back in his seat slightly, getting himself comfortable for what would no doubt be a string of questions.

“I’m sure, don’t worry I will answer any queries you have. Coffee?” Ozpin replied, turning his hand over to the jug of liquid caffeine beside him. The black lava creating a slowly rising pool of steam helping to warm the cool air around the two figures in the room.

“Great! So-?”

“Did I call in favours and have some friends of mine bring you to me?” Ozpin interrupted, a cheeky smile growing slightly larger on his face.

“I was gonna ask where you put my stuff, but that’s also a good question.” Cyprus said, jokingly. Waving his hands around his side to emphasise the fact he was missing all of his combat equipment as well his robes, which made him feel slightly vulnerable, as well as a little uncomfortable at the same time.

“Your gear is held in a safe place, you need not worry. As for why I had you brought here…” Ozpin paused to take a sip of his freshly brewed drink as the man in front of him returned to his seat. “I apologize for the rather crude and deceitful method, but it was the easiest way to track you down without many hours and resources dedicated to finding you any other way. You know how to keep yourself hidden.” The professor continued, a slight hint of admiration in his voice. Cyprus looked up to the ceiling, contemplating the chances of what the man in front of him had said to be legitimate. Deciding that he himself couldn’t think of a better way to do it, the vigilante was content with the answer and gave a light hearted smile to Ozpin.

“And you brought me here because…?” Cyprus said, referring back to the original question the headmaster said he would answer. The vigilante leant forward with an elbow on his knee, and rolled his wrist in a circular motion, emphasising his need for an answer.

In his mind Ozpin couldn’t decide on his first impression of the young fighter. He could definitely handle himself, and was obviously a focused individual, but his less than serious demeanour and casual look on things made the headmaster believe the young crime fighter didn’t take what he was doing seriously. And an attitude like that could get someone hurt, or worse. However, Ozpin believed in never judging a book by its cover and decided to test the man in front of him further, and finally asked the question after a moment’s pause.

“I want you to become a hunter.”

Ozpins’ reaction was not what he had expected, the cyan haired individual suddenly began to chuckle to himself, unable to fathom the reasoning behind this drastic decision.

“I’m a little old for that don’t you think? I know I don’t exactly look my age but I already _tried_ being a student at a combat school.” Cyprus laughed to himself, the older man in front remaining unfazed by the outburst and instead let out a small chuckle.

“Your history with education is no concern. In my eyes you are someone with a gift, but without proper training you will get yourself, or someone close to you, killed. I am offering you the chance to _have_ that training.”

Cyprus stood, wide eyed at what he had heard. He never even thought about fighting Grimm in his life, much less become an actual hunter. He never really liked the idea of becoming a protector from the vile beasts that stalked the lands, but the training he could receive would help greatly in his endeavors. Taking a deep breath, he was about to make a reply before realizing his earpiece was still attached, and swiftly took it out to check if it was still working. Holding it out to Opzin so the he could see what got the vigilante worked up. Closing his eyes and nodding his head softly, the headmaster left Cyprus to reattach the communicator, turning the device on.

 

* * *

 

 

“Thank you for using the B80CG Civilian air transport vehicle, have a pleasant day!” The synthetic voice for the inside of the ship called out to Scylla as she ran straight through the empty road leading to the doors of the academy, the sheer size of the area made her feel a thousand times smaller. Looking up towards the enormous towers, she had no idea where to even begin looking for her friend. Spying another landing platform, she snuck up slowly between the trees in the courtyards to the side towards a parked airship nearby. Climbing up one of the more full branches, the redhead balanced herself and peeked between the gaps in the leaves to get a better view of the men around it.

“ _You_ …” She hissed between her teeth, rage building in her as she noticed several suited men standing guard, the same ones who took Cyprus. As the elder responsible for stabbing her friend stood by the ramp of the ship, the other men looked outwards towards the city, with two leaving to check out the ship that Scylla had arrived in. Gritting her teeth, she quickly and silently moved through the shadows of the trees, coming out to a clearing with a large fountain in the middle, she hoped that anyone noticing her would mistake the hacker for another student simply disobeying curfew laws.

Heading at what she thought was a close enough distance to the ship, Scylla stormed out from behind the shadows, in clear view of the man at the landing platform. Too busy looking at a ridiculous animation on his scroll, the wrinkled man chuckled at the device before his eyes noticed the dark figure moving towards him.

“Hey kid, back to the dorm, you aren’t allowed on here.”

Her stride not faltering for a second, the young woman came within meters of the kidnapper and took her crossbow out of its harness on her back. Scrambling for a gun holstered on his belt, the large suited man panicked at Scylla grabbed him by the neck and dragged him into the bowels of the airship. Her piercing red eyes paralysing her victim, she held her crossbow outwards and flicked a switch beside the trigger. Within seconds the bejewelled bow had extended, creating a long pole as well as inverted itself at the front, morphing the long range weapon into a large trident. The man attempted to call for help before being pinned against the wall of the plane between the gaps in Scylla’s newly morphed tool.

“The guy you took today, where is he?” She asserted herself, bringing her face inches from his, a small lock of red hair falling over her eye.

“Just who do you thin-“The man began before grunting in pain as the woman holding him gave him a knee to the stomach, blasting the air from his lungs.

“I won’t ask again.”

The man coughed and wheezed before pointing out the door of the ship towards the school.

“Head…Headmasters office, elevator from the back of the main hall!” He hastily answered with what breath he had left inside him. Scylla brought her trident away from the man’s neck and proceeded to grab him by the hair, grunting in pain as his head was thrown into the wall of the craft, causing him to pass out instantly. The young woman made her way out of the ship and back towards the main avenue to the academy, feet barely making a sound as she crossed the pavement.

Within minutes Scylla had found herself moving through the intertwining roads and structures of the main school grounds, keeping to the shady spots as much as possible. Searching desperately for an open window to the inside of the main building, taking her time to avoid any cameras around the area that she could see, the feisty redhead noticed a night guard strolling obliviously through a side door of one of the many buildings that linked with the main hall. Before it could close she snuck up behind the man, and like a mere shadow, slipped through the metal frame just as it sealed.

Slipping past one or two more guards, Scylla had no trouble reaching the elevator to Ozpins office, thankfully a school filled with the best and brightest aspiring fighters in the region didn’t have to worry about break ins so only a few guards were ever stationed around the school at a time. The elevator to the Professors office lit in a dim green glow by the lights surrounding the sides, the glass enclosure able to fit at least a half a dozen people with room to spare. Sneaking past the lights the young woman tapped the button for ascension and stood restlessly in the rising box, when suddenly a tune began to play on the speaker.

_Oh you must be joking…._

Scylla grumbled to herself as the light hearted melody ruined the atmosphere around her as it filled the air, lightly echoing off the glass walls. Attempting to re-immerse herself in her objective, she stared out towards the ocean, the lift providing a spectacular view of the city and rising landscape around it. As she reached the top of the spire, the lifts’ miniscule noises becoming non-existent as it ceased to move, the smell of old books and coffee arriving in the air as the doors opened.

 

* * *

 

 

Ruby sat on the bed of her dorm, staring out the window to the open sky. Her team had finally found its footing, and it seems like everything will work out, despite the hurdles she knew she would face leading her newfound friends. Turning her head back to the homework plastered over her sheets she grabbed her coffee mugs, stirred to perfection by Weiss, waking her up a few moments before to make the young leader a fresh mug. Ruby sighed in content that previous argument earlier in the evening almost completely forgotten between the two, leaving them with a clean slate to begin their friendship.

“Hey Weiss?” She asked, attempting to keep her voice down as low as possible.

“Ruby please, I’m trying to sleep, I’ll help with your homework tomorrow…” The heiress replied, groaning as she rolled her head to the other side of her pillow.

“No I just…Do you think Ozpin made me leader on purpose?”

Weiss paused for a moment, trying to think of a proper answer before poking her head from the underside of the bunk.

“I don’t know, you came up with the idea that got us out of that forest…So maybe? I’m sure it’ll work out in the end.”

Ruby took another gulp of her drink, thinking about what Weiss had said. Shuffling her position, she too nudged her head to the outside of her bed, looking down to her teammate.

“Yeah, thanks We-“

“Will you two shut up?! Ladies trying to sleep over here!” A muffled voice shouted from the other side of the room, the blonde brawler had her face stuffed into her pillow on the opposite bed, her hand overhead making a circular motion with her index finger.

“R-Right, sorry!” Ruby replied, her voice heightening its tone as her sister’s outburst caught her by surprise. Looking back down to Weiss she gave her partner a reassuring smile before sinking back to her covers, settling in for a much needed rest.

Looking over to her scroll, the leader noticed a notification had appeared in the time she and Weiss had their little chat. Activating her personal device it opened with a quiet bleep, a grey light plastering her face, and a short message popped up that surprised her.

_Dear Miss Rose,_

_Please meet in the training courtyard at midday next Tuesday for a special assignment, you may bring your fellow team members if you wish._

_Regards,_

_Prof. Ozpin_

Surprised would be an understatement for what Ruby felt that moment, a beaming smile across her face. She turned excitedly to tell her friends, only to find each one of them in a deep slumber. Finishing the last few drops of coffee, the huntress in training continued her work as much as possible, before sleep finally took over her as well, leaving a messy pile of half-finished homework littered over her bedsheets.

 

* * *

 

 

Ozpin raised a brow at the woman standing at the far end of the room, slowly standing up he picked up his cane and made his way around his desk. Between the two stood Cyprus, fiddling with his communicator as he tapped his ear to ensure it was working. Upon seeing the bespectacled Professor rise, the cyan haired interviewee quickly stood at attention, waving his hands in front of Ozpin he stammered. “Wait wait I can get it, gimme a second! Scylla? Scylla you there? Helloooo?”

“Cyprus?”

The man in question turned quickly, seeing his battle-ready friend in the doorway he rushed to her, while at the same time whipping his head back to the headmaster who stood with a mildly quizzical look on his face.

“Scylla? What are you doing here? I’m sorry I put you on mute I didn’t mean to and how did you even get here I-“

**_SLAP_ **

Scylla’s’ hand flew so fast through the air that even the professor himself had to take a second to realize what had happened, so called captive in the room stood wide eyed as his cheek turned a hot pink within seconds. The entire room was drenched in an awkward silent for a moment as Cyprus stifled a yell, the Professor finally managed to break it with a light hearted interjection to the pairs’ scuffle.

“I suppose we have some explaining to do, thank you for taking the bullet for me, Cyprus.” The headmaster spoke up, still as calm as ever. Scylla looked at him with burning eyes, only thanks to her friend grabbing her arm she didn’t attempt to beat the older mans’ glasses off his face. Growling at Ozpin she spouted at him through gritted teeth.

“You’re damn right you do, who do you think you are taking him like that?”

“You know that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me…” Cyprus jumped in, however was met by a quick elbow to the gut, knocking the wind out of him. Holding another punch for after the professors excuse for the kidnapping, Scylla stood in place, fist clenched by her side.

“You seem to know a lot about this, I’m assuming you are his partner?” Ozpin finally said, standing straight in the centre of his office. The assumption not sitting well however with his new guest, who roughly shook off Cyprus’s hold on her arm and stormed towards the headmaster, blowing out a candle with the wind she picked up speeding towards him.

“I’m his employee, when you took him I thought I would be out of a job.” The redhead quickly removed her hood and mask. And moved closer, her face now inches from Ozpins’, who still managed to keep his formal, relaxed look. Her piercing  “And that’s all.”

“I apologize, I should not have assumed.” The headmaster spoke calmly, lowering his head and turning to head back to his seat. Leaving his coffee mug on the dark wooden desk before taking a seat and continuing. “I do not wish to irritate you further so I will tell you everything.”

Ozpin proceeded to spend the next few minutes telling Cyprus’s saviour what he wanted of her friend, and after evaluating her skills the older man knew she would prove to be a valuable asset if recruited alongside him. Scylla was still highly sceptical of the true motives behind the man, but hearing his final words, she settled on a decision.

“I believe that with you both, we will gain two very talented hunters. Two who may not only protect our nation from the creatures of Grimm, but also protect the city in which you live in.”

The Seafoam clad rescuer placed a hand to her face, sighing deeply. Turning towards her companion who stood with his arms folded, she looked at him with bags under her eyes, waiting for his choice.

“Hey, I say it’s a win-win, but getting here and back every day might be a little annoying.” Cyprus spoke up, shrugging to his friend with a kind smile on his face. Scylla turned back to Ozpin who chimed in once again.

“We can arrange for all of your equipment to be moved to a building here in the school, depending on how much room you need, of course.”

The three sat in silence for a short while. An airship flying by in the distance darkening the office as it flew in front of the shattered satellite, casting a dim shadow over the three figures. Finally the redhead turned to Cyprus, giving a quick nod to show her approval, to which the vigilante chuckled and nudged his head back in the direction of the city.

“Well then, think you can cram all those screens in one suitcase?”

 

 


End file.
